


Hell With Florescent Lighting

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, Future, M/M, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-03-07
Updated: 2008-07-07
Packaged: 2018-12-27 14:32:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12083043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: What if Justin left Pittsburgh after the bashing?  How would things have changed?  Six years later Justin is back.  Will he be able to find his way back into the family?  Will he even want to? Thanks to my beta Jessica!!  (There is some Justin/other and Brian/Other but nothing too bad.  This is and will always be a Brian/Justin story)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

  
Author's notes: This story has a bit of a twisted timeline.  Shortly after Justin gets home after the bashing.  Brian moves to New York alone and Justin leaves Pittsburgh with his mother and sister.  Brian moves back shortly after and everything that doesn’t center around Justin happens as it did in the show, mostly.  Ted is with Blake, Emmett is back with Drew, Debbie is with Carl, Michael is with Ben and they are raising Hunter, Mel and Lindsay moved to Canada with Gus and JR.  This picks up six years after the bashing. Oh and because I was sad to see Vic go, he is still alive in this story. And the whole Stockwell thing went down a little different and will be explained.   


* * *

**Chapter One**

Emmett yawned as he sat back on the couch.  He longed to scratch his cheek but knew that it would just remove that portion of the facial mask he had just so carefully applied.  It had been a long day, having worked until six, and then a trip to the market.  He was just grateful for a little time to relax and to indulge in some much needed pampering.  He didn’t sit at home very often, but sometimes it was necessary.  His beauty regiment was grueling, but it took hard work to stay looking this fabulous.  It just would not do to let things slip.  He laughed to himself, though it was a bit difficult since the mask had already started to dry and was making his face feel extremely tight.  The things he did for beauty.  

Reaching over, Emmett grabbed his water bottle, bending the straw so he could get it in his mouth.  He was just about to reach for the television remote when his phone rang.  Hoping for some entertaining gossip, he dove for the phone.  Nothing complemented pampering like the going-on’s of the people of Liberty Ave.

“Hey Emmett, I was hoping you were home.”  Emmett squealed in delight to hear Drew on the other end of the line.  They had been back together for three months, and had been trying to spend as much time together as they could.  It was not turning out to be very much.  Between Drew’s football career and Emmett’s party planning business, it seemed they hardly got to see each other at all.

“I didn’t think I’d hear from you tonight,” Emmett said, happy to be wrong.  “ thought you were busy tonight. 

“Change of plans,” Drew explained.  “Turns out no one noticed when I walked out of the restaurant so now I’m free.”

“Yay,” Emmett cheered, clapping his hands together like a five year old.  If there _had_ to be a change of plans he was happy it would be with Drew.  “What do you have on mind?”

“Before you start hatching plans in that head of yours, I still have those tickets for tonight.  You want to go?”

“To look at paintings?” Emmett asked, trying to wrinkle his nose but the mask preventing the motion.

“To look at paintings with me,” Drew corrected.

“Well since you put it that way, how can I refuse? What time does this blissful evening begin?”

“I’ll pick you up at eight.”

“Well that doesn’t leave me much time to get ready.  See you then.”  Emmett hung up the phone and skipped into the bathroom to get ready.   

\---

Emmett smiled as he shifted through the mail, while balancing the phone at his ear.  It was getting late and he knew he should finish getting ready to go, but this was Ted, and he just couldn’t hang up on him.  He was, and always will be, his best friend in the world.  And that position granted him special rights when it came to time.

“I can’t go out tonight Teddy,” he whined into the phone while giving up on his mail and tossing it on the counter.  “I already told you, I am going out with Drew tonight.”  Just because it gave him special rights did not mean he had to drop everything to go out with him, Emmett amended.

“So, bring him with you,” Ted told him, trying really hard to convince him.  “I want to go to Babylon.”  Emmett smiled, even though he was well aware that Ted could not see him.  On any other night he would have already been squealing into the phone and trying to figure out what he was going to wear, but not tonight.  No, tonight would be spent with Drew and there was nothing Ted could say that would make him change his mind.

“As much as I love going out with you Teddy, Drew and I have other plans,” Emmett told him regrettably.  “Drew has tickets to this art opening that he has been dying to go to.” 

“ _You are_ going to an art opening?” Ted said laughing.  “What's it in for you?”

“Teddy, that’s not nice,” Emmett cried.  “We do things Drew likes to do too, you know.”  And they did.  Well, not as much as they did things _he_ liked to do, but that’s different.  Not that it was unfair, not at all.  Drew was finding out that he _liked_ doing things that Emmett did.  Things he had never tried before.  And now it was fair game.  There were times when Drew took him to do things _he_ had never done before.

“Ah, so it’s like a foreign exchange?” Ted asked and Emmett laughed.  It was just like that.  “Must be nice.”

“Oh, don’t be like that Ted.  You have Blake.  Where is he tonight?”

“Working” Ted admitted with a sad voice.  Blake worked late one night a week, holding a group session for those that could not make the afternoon and early evening sessions.  Ted had gone to a few of them, but had started staying home instead.  He claimed that Blake worked better without him hanging around, distracting him.  Emmett thought Ted just got bored, but he would never say anything.

“Now I see,” he said instead, playing along. “No wonder you want to go out.  I’m sorry Teddy.”

“Don’t worry about it.  It sounds like you have a great night ahead of you.  I think I’ll just go out and see what trouble I can get into on my own.”

“Now that’s the spirit!  Maybe we could stop by later,” Emmett offered.  It was likely that they would end up there anyway, so telling Ted that would not hurt anything.

“You think Drew will mind?”  Ted asked.  He knew that Ted was always trying to balance what he liked to do with what Blake liked to do.  He was sure there were rough spots with that.  Blake being a drug counselor meant he kept odd hours and so Ted had to change his plans many times so that he and Blake could spend some time together.

“I don’t know Teddy,” Emmett told him.  Just because he figured they would end up at Babylon did not mean they were _going_ to. He did still need to talk to Drew.  “I’ll ask him.”

“Alright,” Ted pouted and it made Emmett smile which was what Ted was trying to do. “You are always so busy.”

“Teddy don’t pout, it will give you wrinkles.”  But Ted was right, he was always pretty busy.  Things were looking up all around.  Drew and he were happy and adjusting, constantly adjusting.  His and Vic’s party planning business was up and nearly running away with them.  He was happy that he finally found something that he loved to do.  Who would not enjoy planning such extraordinary events and making sure everything went “just right.”  It was all he could hope for.

“So tell me, ‘ole employed one,” Emmett said.  “How did you manage to escape the dungeon so early tonight?  I figured his boss’ness would have held you prisoner for a few more hours at least.”

“Boss’ness,” Ted repeated as if testing the word.  “Making up words again?”

“Never,” Emmett laughed.  “That’s straight from the Honeycutt dictionary.”

“Right. A best seller.  I guess we caught him on a rarely good mood today,” Ted told him with a sigh.  “He let us go after the last deadline was met.  Thank _God_.  Don’t get me wrong, I love working with Brian, and I love my job, but that man can be a slave driver when he wants to be.”  Teddy had been working for Brian for over a year and it had been interesting.  After the rather scandalous release from the firm Brian had been working with, he set out on his own, starting his own company and worked nonstop to pull every client he could from his previous partner. Personally, Emmett thought, he was sad to see the split, not so much from the company, but from what Brian had found there.  But that’s what happens when you mix business with pleasure. Isn’t that what they always tell you?  Brian, being Brian however, ignored those wise warnings and began seriously dating another ad executive at the agency. 

Six years ago no one would have ever thought it possible, but age, it seemed, had mellowed out the Stud of Liberty Avenue.  After his little jaunt into life in New York all those years ago, Brian had returned a changed man.  His loft was a thing of the past, though his current apartment was no less luxurious. And it was not uncommon to see him actually, dare I say it, _dating_ , on occasion.  The business partner was, by far, the longest relationship, lasting six months, but not the first. Relationships might be the wrong word to use.  Brian would insist it was the wrong word because he did not _have_ relationships.  They went out together, were constantly seen together, and they slept together on a regular basis.  If that was not a relationship, Emmett didn’t know what it was.  If he had his figures right, Emmett thought, Brain had been in four non-relationships in the last six years.  Well, Emmett thought, five if you count before he left for New York.  By all rights and purposes, Justin was his first.

Wow, now there was a blast from the past.  The name taboo for the longest time, now almost faded from memory.  Brian had fled to New York with the promise of a nice comfy job, leaving everything behind; including the beautiful eighteen year old that was totally in love with him.  No one really knew exactly happened after that.  Justin started seeing everyone less and less, but everyone gave him his space, knowing he was still dealing with the horror that was the recovery of the bashing, and the sting of Brian leaving mere days after he got out of the hospital.   By the time everyone had decided that they needed to pull him out of his funk, he was no where to be found.  Seems like, not only was little Justin licking his wounds, but his entire family had picked up roots and hightailed it out of the Pitts.

Then to everyone’s surprise, our Stud returned not six months after leaving.  He actually seemed happy to be back.  It was about a week after his return that he finally asked where Justin had gone, and learned that he too had left town.  It seemed like the news had deflated Brian just a bit, but Emmett wasn’t sure if that was just his imagination working overtime or not.  After that, Brain seemed to settle back in, but he had been different.  He returned to his old firm, they were smart enough not to let him take a position at a competing firm.  He shopped around and found him a new place to live, not without complaining about the current residence not being smart enough to sell him back the loft.  There was nothing odd about that.  What shocked everyone was when he started dating.  Again, he didn’t call it that, and they always ended up in bed afterwards.  He didn’t do it often, but every once in a while he would be seen with the same guy several times, doing things like going out to eat and other things that people normally would do on a date.  As strange as it seemed back then, it was more than common now.

“So when is your stud picking you up?” Ted asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.  He looked around at the clock and smiled.

“Any minute now, I have to get going Teddy.  I will call if we decide to go to Babylon.”

“Alright.”

“Toodles,” Emmett hung up the phone and danced back into his bedroom to finish getting ready.  Brian and his warped love life could wait.  He had is own fabulous one to work on tonight.

\----

Brian rolled his eyes as he put the car in park.  He looked out the window and frowned.  He was used to taking the out of town clients to dinner, to a show, to a game, but of course _this_ one was not interested in that.  He was excited about some new gallery that some New York artist had recently opened there in Pittsburgh.  Seems his wife was a big fan and he wanted to surprise her.  

So he was sitting in his car, on his way to the hotel to pick up the client.  He still had the dinner reservations.  There was just no way he would spend the entire evening in some gallery.  He was sitting at a light when his phone rang.

“Yes?” He asked, wondering what Lindsay wanted.

“Hi, daddy!”

“Gus,” Brian said with a smile.  He could not believe how much just the sound of his son’s voice could make him happy.

“Mommy said I could call you.  Guess what?”

“What?”

“I am going to the zoo tomorrow.  Mommy wasn’t going to let me go cause I was sick, but now I am all better and I get to go.”

“I bet you will have a great time,” Brian agreed.  He had talked to Lindsay a few days ago and she had told him Gus had a bad cold, and was being kept home from school.  He was glad the boy was feeling better.  “Make sure you sleep well tonight so you don’t get sick again.”

“I don’t want to get sick,” Gus told him in a matter-of-fact tone.  “I don’t like getting sick. I feeled yucky all day. It was not fun.  And JR was always bothering me.”

“She just wanted to play,” Brian told him.

“I don’t want to play. I was sleepy.  But now I feel all better and we played forever.  It was fun.”

“I bet it was.”

“Mommy wants to talk to you.  Love you Daddy.  Bye!”

“Brian?” Lindsay asked, obviously getting the phone from her son.

“So, he is better today?”  Brian asked.  He sounded better, but he just wanted to know for sure.

“A lot.  The weather is supposed to be nice tomorrow. I don’t see a reason to keep him home.”

“That will make him happy,” Brian said.  “He seemed really excited.”

“Yeah, he couldn’t wait to call and tell you as soon as Mel told him he could go.”

“That’s my boy.”

“So what are you doing?  Going out tonight?”

“Sort of,” Brian admitted with a frown.  “I’m taking a client out to dinner, after we stop at some gallery so he can pick up a painting for his wife or something.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“Of course you would think so.”

“It could be fun,” she insisted cheerfully.  “Which gallery are you going to?”

“There is some New Yorker that opened one here.  His name is like Jayze or something.”

“Jaytee,” she corrected.  He wondered at the change in her voice but let it go.  She was always getting excited about something.

“Yeah that’s him.  He has a small gallery around here somewhere.”

“That is so great Brian.  I read about him the other day.”

“Figures you would be a fan,” he said, rolling his eyes.  “I’m really not in the mood to hear you sing his praises. I have to go.”

“But Brian!”

“Give Gus a kiss for me.”  He ended the call before she could say anything else.  He’d spent too much of the day already hearing about this artist. He really didn’t want to spend any more. 

\---

Brian pulled up to the building and parked the car.  He didn’t say anything as they got out of the car.  The building looked like it could have been an old fire station.  The large doors on the parking areas surly suggested that.  It was a tall building, with the opening to the gallery on the ground floor.  There was a set of stairs off to the right that lead to a door on the second story.  Probably offices or some sort of business space.  The area was beginning to build up and these little businesses were showing up more and more.  It could have been worse, Brian thought.  It could have been a new Big Q.  He shuddered at the thought and entered the building.

They had hardly made it through the door before a bossy tall brown haired woman came charging at them.  Well, not so much charging, as much as sniffing for a sell.

“Gentlemen, welcome,” the woman greeted.  She pushed her long hair behind her ears and clasped her hands in front of her.  “My name is Arleen, and I’m the manager of this gallery.  How may I help you?”  Arleen had directed the question away from Brian, as if she knew instinctively who was there to buy something.  Brian smirked.  He liked that trait, in anyone really.  Born for business and did it with no qualms.

“I’m in town visiting and my wife would kill me if I did not bring her home one of these fabulous paintings.”

“Are you familiar with the artist?” She asked, as if gauging his answer.  It was probably the difference between showing just a curious buyer the cheaper pieces to showing a fan the more expensive ones.

“We saw his work while he was showing in Chicago a few years back.  She has been a fan ever since.”

“Well let’s have a look around.  I am sure we will find something your wife will like.”

With Arleen now schmoozing his client, Brian was able to fade into the background.  He really had to applaud her as he watched.  He knew she was after the sell, he could practically see the dollar signs in her eyes, but she did it with class.  She had her sales pitch down and handled them with confidence.  It seemed to him that she was being wasted in this little hole-in-the-wall gallery.  He couldn’t help but wonder how she would be at advertising.

He let the two of them wonder off as he looked around on his own.  The art was actually pretty good.  He was impressed despite himself.  He walked around and looked at a few of the larger pieces, appreciating the color and nodding to himself.  He would have to remember this place the next time he needed a gift to get his foot out of his mouth with Lindsay.  

There are moments that alter your life forever and times, when you look back and know that _that’s_ when it all changed.  Brian could probably count those in his life on one hand.  But in the space of a breath his life changed, and he knew without a doubt that it would never be the same.  In the time it took him to glance up at the door in response to the chime, his whole world fell apart.  He felt his feet were cemented to the floor, grounding him to this little corner of the gallery, as he watched the face that, for years, haunted his dreams, moved to the counter and started talking to the man that met him there.

“Hey Chez,” the aberration greeted.  “Did I miss anything interesting?”

“We have some gents here looking to buy some pieces,” came the overly accented reply.  Later, when he was able to think clearly he would wonder where they guy was from and realize that he had never heard anyone talk like that naturally.

“As in plural?” His dream questioned with a curious smile.

“Looks that way,” said the other man, clapping his hands excitedly.

“Arleen jumped on it?”

“I was in the back,” he sighed.

“Aww…Don’t worry about it Chez.  You’ll get the next one.”

“Not while I’m working with the shark lady.”  Brian watched in stunned silence as they both laughed.  Slowly it was registering that he was awake.  He was awake and sober and standing in a building watching as Justin Taylor talked with one of the employees of the gallery. He felt frozen in place, unable to move or make is presence known.  He continued to watch Justin talk with Chez and it became clear that the blonde was not there to buy anything.  No, that would be too simple.  This kid, this young man, was not going to settle for just one painting.  Of course not, he _owned_ the place.  

Just when Brian thought he would scream with the frustration of standing there, the door opened again. And like a punch in the gut he saw Justin’s face light up.  There was a time when that smile...No!  He would not go there.  Taking a deep breath and every ounce of strength he had, Brian turned to see who lit up the familiar face like that.  He was mildly surprised to see Justin’s friend Daphne come strolling in.  Part of him had just figured Justin had cut off contact with her along with everyone else in this city.  But by the looks of it, they were still as close as ever.  She crossed the room, her smile matching his, and they embraced kissing each other on the cheek.  As an after thought, it occurred to Brian that Daphne had changed quite a bit, but the biggest change was the very pregnant belly she was sporting.

“Hey,” Justin greeted her.  If he even noticed there was someone else in the building he didn’t show it.  It was as if his entire universe revolved around his friend.  That feeling started to settle in his stomach again, that feeling of remembrance, he quickly pushed it away.

“Hey, yourself,” Daphne said, laughing when Justin rubbed her belly.  He laughed too and dropped his hands, instead, jumping up to sit on the counter.

“So, when did you get in?”

“Just a little while ago,” Daphne said with a sigh.  She leaned her back against the counter and sighed again.  “Justin, my mother is driving me nuts.”

“Mothers do that,” he told her.  What was it with him and laughing?  It was just hard to see him this happy when the last time Brian saw him he was so miserable and angry.  He knew that Justin had recovered.  He knew in all the years since he had seen the blonde that he should have moved past the bashing, however it was just hard to fit this new Justin in with his memories.  “It can’t be that bad,” Justin continued to Daphne; however he could have just as well been talking to Brian because his words fit.  It _shouldn’t_ be that hard.  He should have been ready for this.  He should be able to just walk over there, interrupt this little reunion, and say hello. It should be easy.  So why wasn’t it?

“You don’t think so?” Daphne exclaimed, slapping Justin playfully on the arm.  “Great, next time _you_ can go baby shopping with her.”

“I don’t think so,” he cried out, throwing his hands up as if to protect himself from the idea.  “I really think she is still plotting out the best way to kill me.”

“She is _not_!” Daphne laughed; the idea clearly absurd.  “She loves you.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Justin insisted with a nod.  He looked around the counter and brought out some sort of book and sat it down with a huff.  “Go on upstairs and rest,” Justin told her with a sigh.  “I’ll probably be a while.”

“Sucks owning your own business don’t it?”

“Like you would know,” Justin teased her.  Brian felt sick, like he was spying, when he was just standing in a public place.  He needed to get out of there.  Things were just too strange and he needed to get back to where life was normal, then he would be able to think.   

“Fine,” Daphne conceded.  “You nice job, me sucky.  I’ll get out of your hair now.  But if you’re too long I’m ordering me something to eat without you.”

“Go ahead.  I’ll get something later.”  

Brian was eyeing the door the entire time.  He figured it would be best if he could just leave before he was seen.  He wasn’t sure what he was feeling knowing Justin had returned and he had failed to notice.  While Justin was preoccupied with his friend, which he was predictably turning to assist, Brian planned to leave the gallery.  He would rather not risk being seen while he tried to figure what he would say, or if he even wanted to talk to the blonde.  He was just about in the clear when Daphne glanced in his direction.  She had not even lingered on his face and had seemed to be dismissing him when her eyes went wide in recognition.  She whipped around towards Justin.  Brian had just enough time to school his features before those blue eyes were turned on him. 

“Brian?” came the question.  Justin’s face showed a bit of confusion with a bit of controlled surprise.  “Is that you?”

“Have I changed that much that you don’t recognize me?” Brian asked, happy his voice sounded cool and unshaken.

“No,” Justin said, hopping off the counter and stepping closer.  “I just didn’t expect to see you here.  Last I heard you were living in New York.”

“I haven’t lived there in a long time,” Brian said, suppressing a frown.  Justin had not kept up at all with anyone.  He had no idea Brian came back.  That shouldn’t have shocked him either, and he made sure Justin didn’t know it had.  “You on the other hand,” he continued instead.  “I hear you were doing well there.”

“My agent suggested it, but I didn’t care for it.”

“So you moved back to the Pitts?”  Brian asked with a frown.  He had left New York to return to Pittsburgh. So why should it bother him that Justin had done the same?  The difference was that the Pitts was his home, while Justin had fled and never looked back.  There had to be a reason he had come back.

“Not my first choice,” Justin admitted with a tilt of his head.  “But it worked out best for everyone.”  Everyone.  Brian wondered who the everyone was, but that was not a conversation he was prepared to have.

“Is this your place?” Brian asked instead, though he already knew the answer.  And he could also guess that these were all his paintings.  Interesting the way he was drawn to them even before he knew who had done them.

“Yeah,” Justin said with a happy smile.  “I opened it a few months ago.”

“Does it bring in good money?” Brian asked.  Not that he needed to know, but he was at a loss as to what else to say and he didn’t want them to stop talking.  If they stopped talking things would get weird.  He knew there were things he wanted to ask and he was sure Justin had some too.  But once the silence fell over them…well lets just say he was not looking forward to that.

“Between here and the shows I’m doing well,” Justin said with a slight smile.  Brian looked around at the scattered paintings and nodded.

“I always knew you would.”  Justin smiled in return and looked down at his feet.  They both just stood there and instantly Brian lost his train of thought.  There it was Brian realized sadly.  That uncomfortable silence Brian had been dreading and trying to avoid.   

“What brings you by?” Justin asked, his face popping back up to look at him.  It seemed he didn’t feel the least bit uncomfortable.  Maybe that was just the way things were going to be.  While he had wanted to see Justin again, and spent a lot of time thinking about it, Justin had completely moved on.  He didn’t seem fazed at all by Brian’s appearance.  Maybe a bit surprised that he hadn’t noticed, but not thrown at all.

“A client,” Brian informed him.  He first thought that he wished he could tell him that he came there just to see him, but that was a lie.  The truth would come out that he had not known Justin was in town until that very minute so there was no point.  “He wanted to buy a few pieces.”

“Arleen get him?” Justin asked, not questioning the explanation.  He looked around the gallery, probably looking for them.  The last time Brian had seen them they were heading behind the far wall, chatting about what types of pieces he wanted to see.

“Yeah.”

“She’ll take good care of him.  She’ll probably also suggest that he check out the show I’m having over at the Mendelson Gallery.  The opening is tonight and is running for about two weeks.  If he wants to see any of the new pieces he’ll have to check there.”

“I’ll let him know.”  To Brian’s relief his phone chose that moment to ring.  He looked at the display and instantly frowned.  Glad for the distraction but not liking whose name appeared on the caller ID.

“I have to take this,” Brian explained, indicating the phone.

“Sure.”  Brian turned towards the door, waving towards his client who had looked in his directions, letting him know he would be outside, and then stepped out the door, trying not to look back at the blonde standing behind him.

\---

“You fucking knew, didn’t you?” He shouted into the phone as soon as he was outside.  He blood was boiling and could not believe Lindsay would have the balls to call him now.  As soon as he had seen Justin he had _known_ Lindsay knew who the artist was.  She knew and she didn’t say a thing.

“Brain?” Lindsay asked, her voice betraying her confusion at his greeting.  “What's wrong?”

“You knew and you didn’t tell me,” Brian repeated the thought that kept circling through his head. After all this time he sees him and had been caught totally off guard, and for that he blamed the woman on the other end of the line.  He was going to make sure she was clear on how he felt about it.

“You saw him.”  It wasn’t a question.  She knew him too well to not figure it out.

“You think?”

“Brian,” she said.  “You hung up before I could tell you.  And besides, after all this time I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal.”

“It’s not,” he said instantly.  It really _shouldn’t_ be a big deal.  “I just would have liked to have known _before_ I ran into him.”

“Honestly,” Lindsay said.  Honestly, Brian thought, she was really starting to get on his nerves.  “I just read the article not too long ago.  I didn’t know who I was reading about until I looked up some of his work online and saw a picture of him.  How was I supposed to know that he was going by JayTee?  I was just as shocked as you.  I just figured, after all this time, that he wasn’t ever planning to come back.”

“Yeah, so did I,” Brian admitted.  That’s what shocked him the most.  That Justin had slipped in once everyone had given up on him.  That he had given up.  And now he was back, and Brian had walked blindly into his business without being prepared.

“So, did you talk to him?” Lindsay asked; a smile in her voice.

“You think I would just walk out?” Brian asked in a huff.

“I wouldn’t put it past you,” Lindsay said.  Her laugh grated on his nerves almost as much as her deception and he wanted to yell at her to take that back.  But the truth of the matter was that she was right.  With any other person he _would_ have just walked out.  Hell, a few years ago he would have walked out on _him_.  But things were different now.  He was different.  It would seem that his friends did not see it that way.

“Whatever,” he said, dismissing her statement. Let her think what she wants.

“Did you?” she asked, pressing further.

“I talked to him for about two seconds,” he spit out.  She of all people knew how much he hated being pushed.  He figured that’s just why she did it.  Well if she wanted to push for more information, that didn’t mean that he had to be nice with his answers.

“Why not longer?” she asked and he growled into the phone.

“Because my phone rang,” he bit out.

“Oh!” She exclaimed.  He smiled knowing she was now beside herself.  “Well don’t let me interrupt.”

“Too late.  I have to get back to work anyway.  See ya.”  He closed the phone just as his client came strolling through the door.  “All set?”

“They will be delivered to the house.”

“Well, let’s get going.”  Brian got back in his car, and put it in drive.  He glanced towards the windows and saw Justin talking with Arleen.  As they were talking he looked out and right at Brian's car.  Without thought Brian stepped on the gas. He needed to get as far from there as he could.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Emmett smiled, looking around the crowded gallery, sipping fabulous champagne and nibbling on some scrumptious puff things.  _I really need to find out what these things are,_ he thought to himself. _They would go off wonderfully at the Mandee’s 50th Wedding Anniversary party next week._   He smiled to himself.  Drew had promised him that he would have a good time and he had been right.  They arrived to what looked like the biggest party around.  There were people everywhere talking and glamour… that’s one thing Emmett had not counted on.  He felt slightly under dressed in this crowd.  But Drew had put his arm around him and led him towards the doors not caring at all.  

Emmett had never seen a building quite like the one they were walking into.  It was located in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh and not an area that he normally frequented.  It had floor to ceiling windows covering the entire one story building. Making it look like the entire building was made of glass.  On each side of the door there were large banners hanging from the roof and nearly touching the ground with “Jaytee” and a picture of a piece of art printed on them.  New Yorkers really knew how to do it right, Emmett had thought has they entered the building.  Once inside his opinion hadn’t changed.  More people were inside and there were paintings on every surface and plenty of wait staff all ready making their rounds.

“The artist is very good.”  Emmett was pulled from his thoughts and turned to Drew at his statement, looking at the painting positioned right next to them.  He looked up at the angry reds and dark shadows.  Not really what he looked for in beauty, but who was he to judge?  His favorite place to shop for home decorations was IKEA. Such funky treasures to be found in that maze they call a store.

“If you say so,” Emmett said with a shrug.  “Not really my taste.”

“Yeah, probably wouldn’t fit with your décor,” Drew said with an amused smile.  

“Not that I could afford to spend half a year’s salary on one of these,” Emmett laughed, knowing that Drew was just trying to get him to relax and have a good time.  He also figured that Drew would most likely buy one for himself by the end of the night.  He may not make a big deal out of it but Emmett had noticed more than one art piece at Drew’s place.  

“No,” Drew said, confirming what Emmett had already guessed about the price of these things.  “But if you see one you like, I might keep that in mind.”

“I’m not going to let you buy one of these.”

“Why not?” Drew asked, as if shocked that Emmett would not take the gift.  “If you like it…”

“Because it’s too much,” Emmett insisted, shivering at the thought of just how much Drew was talking about spending on him.

“Nothing is too much for you,” Drew said, leaning in to whisper it in his ear.  “And I do believe you have a birthday coming up.”

“In like seven months!” Emmett laughed.  Granted Drew had not been around for his last birthday bash, but that didn’t mean he had to start thinking about the next one yet.

“I like to get my shopping out of the way early.”

“Drew…”  Emmett warned good naturally.  He didn’t want Drew to think he was upset but he did want him to know he was serious.  He didn’t want him spending that much money on him.

“Well, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy looking at it.”

“I can find more interesting things to look at besides that thing there,” Emmett said, turning back and scanning the room. 

“Just let me know if you see something you like.”

“Fine.”  Emmett pushed the thought away.  He wasn’t going to let Drew do that, but he also wasn’t going to argue about it either.  Again he looked out over the crowd. The place was surprisingly crowded, which lead Emmett back to the big Fru Fru New York artist.  It must be someone important to warrant such a turnout.  “So who is this oh so talented artist anyway?”

“Jaytee,” Drew told him.  “I’ve read a little about him in the papers.  I guess he was originally born here in Pittsburgh, but moved away when he was still in school.”

“People sure do like to run away from here as soon as they know they have talent don’t they?”  Emmett said, wondering why the fact that the guy had been born here had really all that much impact on the hobnobers that made up Pittsburgh’s socialites.  Like the fact that he was delivered in one of their hospitals had anything to do with his success.

“I just started hearing about him,” Drew continued.  “But his shows are always selling out, plus I hear that he has his own gallery somewhere.  They say that he can’t paint them fast enough.”

“Wow, it must be fabulous to have that kind of talent.”  He scanned the room again, he seemed to be doing that a lot, but people watching was one of his favorite pastimes.  He found himself wondering which of the men he saw standing around was the new golden boy of the Pitts.  As he scanned the crowd, he landed on a face that made him look closer.

“Don’t you hate it,” he confided in his companion without looking away, “when you see someone that looks so familiar but you can’t figure out where you know them?”

“Who?” Drew asked, turning to look at the crowd, following Emmett’s line of sight.

“That guy over there,” he indicated, gesturing to the far left of the room with his glass.  “The blonde there in that crowd that looks like he is scoping out his escape route.  Seems like I’ve seen him before, but I just can’t place him.”  As they were talking the guy smiled at the people around him and slipped back into the crowd.

“Hmm, I don’t know him,” Drew admitted after a moment.  “Maybe you know him from Babylon?”

“Well he is decidingly drool worthy,” Emmett agreed with a shake of his head.  “I can just picture him in a pair of tight pants and missing a shirt.  That’s probably where I’ve seen him.”  Emmett dismissed the feeling, having figured it out.  Instead, he watched Drew turn back to the painting, not even worried about the guy that had caught Emmett’s attention.  It just spoke of the changes in their relationship, or at least their _new_ relationship.  They had been back together for an impressive two months, two months since Drew had decided that he wanted Emmett back, two months since he had come looking for him, and two months since Emmett’s world had turned back right side up.  In that time they had lost the uncertainty and distrust that had initially formed between them.  It was a good change and Emmett loved it.

“I’ll be back in a sec,” Emmett said looking down at his hand.  “I need to go wash these little digits.”  Drew looked around and smiled, sliding his arm around Emmett’s waist again and leaning in close to whisper in his ear.

“Need help?”  Emmett couldn’t contain the quiet squeal that escaped his lips at the offer.  He loved it when Drew got brave.

“As much as I would love that,” Emmett said with a giggle, then stopped as a smirk replaced it.  “On second thought, I would love help.  Come on.”  They made their way out of the large room and towards the hall that Emmett had already discovered held the bathrooms.  The hall was quiet and empty besides two young men standing to one side talking.  

Emmett slowed his steps, watching the pair.  Both were blonde, one bright, one dirty.  The dirty blonde was taller than the other by at least five inches making the other seem really short.  The shorter one, it was that guy again, Emmett realized as he watched, the one from inside.  He was standing there with his companion, absorbed in conversation.  They didn’t look like they even realized they were no longer alone.  Emmett looked harder, determined to know who this mystery guy was, then it clicked. _Justin!!!_ That’s where he knew the guy.  That was _Justin!_   He pulled Drew to a stop and slid against the wall, telling himself that he just wanted to be sure. That’s why he was watching. 

“What the hell do you think you are doing Austin?” Justin asked, his arms flailing out angrily.  Emmett silently asked Drew to stay quiet so he could find out what was going on.  Drew approved with a nod and turned his attention to them as well.

“What are you talking about, Justin?” The man now identified as Austin asked confirming Emmett’s thoughts.  It really was Justin.  He caught himself just before he squealed in delight.  They watched as Austin placed his hand on Justin’s shoulder, but he was having none of it.  Justin immediately backed away like he’d been burned, putting distance between them.  “I’m here to be with you,” Austin continued, looking at Justin sadly.  “I was going to stop in at your gallery and come over here with you but I wanted to surprise you.  I really thought you would like that.”

“I would,” Justin told him dejectedly, “if it were true.”  Justin’s boyfriend, Emmett guessed.  There was something about the way they were talking, something about it screamed domestic squabble.  Knowing he should leave now, that he knew he was right, Emmett couldn’t help but watch.  His natural curiosity made him unable to move until he got the whole story.  Emmett had to admit one thing; the boy still had flawless taste.  If there was ever a replacement for Brian Kinney this hot hunk would be that.

“What's not true?” Austin asked, almost desperately.  “I really missed you. And since it’s obvious that your so called _best friend_ couldn’t be bothered to be here…”

“Don’t start in on Daphne again Austin,” Justin warned.  “We’ve been over this a hundred times.  You don’t know anything about it.  She had to work tonight, end of story.”

“More like she got what she wanted and is done with you.”

“Austin!” Justin warned again.

“OK, I’m sorry.  This is just hard for me.  I really just wanted to be here for opening night.”

“Can it Austin,” Justin signed. “You had one reason to be here tonight, and it wasn’t to be with me.”

“Of course it was,” Austin insisted, trying again in vain to reach out and touch Justin.  “I told you, I missed you.  I drove all the way from the city to be with you tonight.”

“I talked with George Grasher Austin,” Justin said, and Emmett knew he meant that as some sort of sting towards the other man.  “He told me that you talked to him.”

“So?” Austin repeated, as if he didn’t understand the meaning.  Emmett didn’t know him at all but his attitude had changed in an instant.  Where as before he had been confident but desperate, now he just looked nervous.

“What gives you the right to tell him that I would do a show for him?” Justin suddenly shouted, his frustration seeming to explode right in front of them.

“Oh yeah, that,” the taller man said, making a poor show of just remembering.  

“Oh yeah, that.” Justin mocked.  “Really Austin, I thought we were past this.”

“I was going to talk to you about that.”

“When?” Justin asked in a huff.  “After he shoved the contracts in my face?”

“No really,” Austin said.  Whatever was going on, this guy seemed to be sinking fast.  “You were busy talking to people, but I was going to talk to you.”

“About what exactly?” Justin asked.  “About how you are making commitments for my work without talking to me first?  Did it ever occur to you that I didn’t _want_ to show with Grasher?”

“But…”

“But you didn’t care what I wanted, did you?” Justin accused, cutting him off.  “No, because he had agreed to my terms right?  That I would only show at his gallery _if_ he gave you a show first.”

“I thought you would be happy,” Austin admitted and Emmett cringed.  He may not have talked to Justin in years, but he had a good feeling he knew how Justin would react to that.

“Happy now that people now think I’m shoving my boyfriend down their throats?” Justin asked, and just like Emmett had figured, Justin was dumbfounded at his reasoning.

“I thought you would be happy that I got my own show.”

“But you didn’t _earn_ it!” Justin shouted as if it should be the clearest thing in the world.  Emmett understood the frustration.  He didn’t care for people that took from others when they had no rights to.  It was why he had been against Drew buying him a painting.  It seemed as if Justin felt the same way.

“Justin!” Austin shouted back, reaching out and taking hold of the shorter man’s arms.  Normally the differences in height would make him look to be the more dominate one, his looks and behavior certainly suggested the same, but Justin seemed in no way subservient.  Finding the top in that relationship was not very obvious.

“Stop it Austin.”  Justin glared at the man, pulling violently away from him, before a disgusted sigh escaped his lips.  “You know I would jump for joy if you got your own show, but don’t use me like that.”

“I…” 

“Stop,” Justin interrupted again.  “Bottom line is…You are only after what you can get out of this relationship.  I really should have figured that out way before now, but I was hoping I was wrong.”

“Look at everything you have here Justin,” Austin said, looking around as if all of Justin's things sat surrounding them.  “You should _want_ to help others out.”

“I _earned_ everything I have here,” Justin stressed, the frustration continuing to grow.  “It took me _years_ to get where I am.  You really have no idea what I had to give up, or what I went through to get here.  I never had it handed to me, and I wouldn’t want it to be.” 

“Justin, come on,” Austin nearly begged, trying to sooth over the mess he had obviously created.  “You don’t mean…”

“Go home Austin.”  Justin’s voice had dropped and drained of all emotion.  He just stood there, looking up at the other man, with his hands in his pockets.  It was clear that his decision was already made, and it had not been an easy one.

“Don’t be like that,” Austin continued to plead, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears.

“Forget it Austin,” Justin said shaking his head.  “I’ve had enough…I really hope you get your own show some day, but find someone else’s success to sponge off of, I’m done.”  With that Justin turned and disappeared back inside the gallery.

Emmett watched silently, as the other man looked after Justin, long after he had vanished from view.  He turned on his heals and walked out the door.  Emmett waited until they were both out of sight before turning back to Drew.  

“Babylon?” Drew asked, but it was clear that he had figured out differently.

“Well technically I have seen him there a lot,” Emmett said.  “Hummm, looks like Sunshine is all grown up.”

“Has it been a long time since you seen him?”

“Too long,” Emmett admitted, thinking of all the years that had passed since they lost track of the boy.

“Well I think after all this he could use an old friend.  Let’s get back inside, and you can go talk to him.”

Emmett looked over his shoulder as Drew walked away from him as soon as they reentered the room.  Drew simply smiled back at him before continuing walking.  Emmett spotted Justin almost immediately, standing alone by one of the paintings.  Bracing himself, Emmett plastered his best smile on his face and walked towards the young man.

“Oh my god, Justin!” He said enthusiastically.  Justin jumped and Emmett realized he had not noticed anyone near him.  “Sweetie, look at you, you look fabulous!”

“Hello,” Justin said with a raised eyebrow.  Emmett sensed instantly the confusion as the young man tried to place him in his memory.  Six years was really a long time, and it just stood to reason that his face would not be at the forefront of the young man’s memory.  Without any other prompting from him, a smile slowly spread across Justin’s face and Emmett felt giddy at the recognition, six years wasn’t enough to banish him for eternity.

“Emmett?” Justin asked, sounding more than slightly shocked to see him.  “Is that really you?” 

“The one and only,” Emmett announced throwing his hands out and striking a pose.  He couldn’t believe he had run into Justin after all this time.  And it was only just starting to register that all he had heard about this famous artist was about Justin.  In his mind, Justin was still that gorgeous blonde kid that was always following Brian around.  Having him absent all this time it was just hard to believe how much he had grown up.

“What are you doing here?” Justin asked, interrupting his thoughts.  “You where never into art before.”

“Well, really I’m still not,” Emmett admitted with a shrug.  “But I came here with my sweetie.  Seems he is a big fan of yours.  How could I say no?” He smiled in return to Justin’s smile.  He didn’t seem too overly excited to see him, but he did look happy and that made Emmett happy.  “My poor heart about stopped when I realized you were you,” Emmett told him with a laugh.

“You didn’t know before you got here?” Justin asked.  Emmett wondered about the slightly deflated look that came over him.  Like all the joy he had for seeing Emmett was slowly draining out of him.

“We had a lot of names for you sweetie,” Emmett explained, wanting to see that spark return but having no idea what he had said to chase it away in the first place. “But Jaytee wasn’t one of them.”

“Well no,” he said, his sadness still evident.  “I guess not.  Daphne was the only one to use that one.”

“So look at this, Sunshine is all grown up, and looking to die for!” Emmett said, deciding to change the obviously depressing subject.  He didn’t want to be the reason to bring him back down.  His whole point for coming over now was to cheer him up after that mess in the hall.

“Oh no, Sunshine!” Justin exclaimed with his megawatt smile.  “I haven’t heard that in years.”  Emmett wanted to laugh.  He could get whiplash from how fast this kid, man, changed moods.

“Emmett?”  Emmett turned at the sound of his name.   A smile split his face to see Drew standing there.  He had probably been waiting for a good moment to com over.  Emmett was reminded again that Drew was a fan.  That seemed sort of strange.  Their little Justin had fans, NFL fans that skipped out on team dinners to see his work.

“Oh, there you are Sweetie, I was wondering where you got off to.  I would like to introduce you to Justin Taylor. Justin, this is my boyfriend Drew Boyd.”

“A pleasure meeting you,” Justin said reaching out and shaking Drew’s hand.

“I love your work.”

“Thank you,” Justin said with a sincere smile.  “It’s always nice to know I’m not the only one.”

“Not with work like yours.  You are very talented,” Drew told him.  Emmett stood back and watched as his hotter than hot boyfriend complemented Justin.  He couldn’t help but smile, glad that Justin was doing so well.  He could not have been happier for him.

“And you are very lucky,” Justin told Drew, smiling at Emmett.

“I am?”

“To be with Emmett,” Justin elaborated.  “Through everything that happened when I was younger, he was always one of the nicest guys I had ever met.”

“Thank you Sweetie!” Emmett gushed, feeling overwhelmed at the compliment. “But I’m the lucky one.”

“When you said he looked familiar,” Drew said to Emmett.  “I didn’t think that you actually knew him.”

“See I’m full of surprises,” Emmett said with a laugh and a wink in Justin’s direction.  “I haven’t seen him in _years_. It took a while for the face to click.”

“There you are, my boy.” They all turned at the sound of the voice.  The man that had spoken was short and balding and looked like he was born wearing bad suits with worst ties.  “There are some buyers over here that would like you speak with you.”

“Sure,” Justin said, allowing himself to be turned around.  “Excuse me,” he said to Emmett and Drew.  “I have to go play nice.”  He scrunched up his nose and stuck out his tongue, making his thoughts on the subject very clear.  Emmett couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped.  It was good to see a hint of the old Justin, and to know he was not lost forever.

\----

As it turned out, Justin was kept busy the rest of the night.  Many times Emmett had seen him surrounded by people and glancing around as if looking for a way out.  He recognized that look.  Drew had it whenever he was trapped by a persistent interviewer.  It wasn’t until much later that he was able to talk to him again and that was just as they were leaving.

“Sorry I couldn’t talk more, but these things are not really designed for getting reacquainted,” Justin said as they walked to the bar and Justin helped himself to a bottle of water.

“Totally understandable, sweetie,” Emmett said.  He had a great time and he really had enjoyed watching Justin work the room like a pro.  “How about we meet for lunch?”

“How’s tomorrow?” Justin asked, his face lighting up once again.  Emmett mentally went over his schedule to make sure he had the time.

“Great,” he said, knowing he was free.  “I have an appointment in the morning, then I’m meeting Drew for lunch.”  He looked over at Drew for approval and got a nod in return.  “We would love to have you join us.”

“Sounds great, Em.”

“How about noon-ish?” Emmett asked, figuring that would be about the time he would be arriving.

“Perfect,” Justin said with another smile.  “Where?”

“You remember how to get to the diner?”

“The diner…yeah I remember.”  Emmett frowned, wondering at the young man’s sudden unease.  It was just the old diner.  They have eaten there a million times.  Justin had even worked there for a spell.  He didn’t know why the mention of the place would warrant that sort of reaction, although muted as Justin obviously tried to hide it.

“I’ll see you tomorrow Emmett,” Justin said with a somewhat forced smile.  It was obviously a polite dismissal.  He would let it go for now, but Emmett wanted to know what that had been about, and he also needed to let Justin know that he had overheard him with Austin.  He had tried to fit it into the conversation but the timing had never been right.  Justin was busy and working, and had obviously pushed the incident out of his mind.  Emmett didn’t have the heart to be the one to bring it up.

“Have a great night sweetie,” he said instead.

“Good night.”  Emmett felt Drew’s hand go around his waist while he watched Justin get lost in the thinning crowd.  There was something going on there.  Justin’s moods were just all over the place.  It was very likely that it all had to do with his conversation out in the hall, but Emmett could not shake the feeling that it was closer to home than that.  He stifled a yawn as they made their way towards the car.  He remembered Ted and his promise to try and make it to Babylon but decided his day had been long enough.  He just wanted to go home.


End file.
